The Beacon Planning team includes chartered town planners, members of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC), Urban Designers and consultants with both public and private sector experience. In addition, we have an in-house graphic designer who ensures the quality of presentation matches our professional advice.

Team

Andy Thompson Director

BA (Hons) MA (Urban Design) MRTPI

Planner and urban designer with more than thirty five years' local authority and private practice experience.

Andy is an experienced project manager and enjoys leading and being part of multi-disciplinary
teams dealing with complex sites. He has led teams securing consents for schemes in the
education, commercial and residential sectors and advises clients on the development potential of
their land and buildings.

His early career was in the public sector, most recently at Cambridge City Council where he led
teams preparing planning briefs for major development sites, including what are now Accordia and
the Grand Arcade, and streetscape enhancement schemes for King's Parade and Green Street. In
2004 he left to became a founder-Director of QuBE and with Jon Burgess founded Beacon Planning
in 2008.

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Jon Burgess Director

PhD MA(Arch Con) BA(Hons) BPl Dip Con MRTPI IHBC

Heritage and planning specialist with more than twenty five years' experience in local government and private practice.

Jon has been involved in countless schemes involving historic buildings, areas, ancient monuments, parks and gardens of national and local significance and always seeks pragmatic and practical
solutions to enable our heritage to evolve and be appreciated. He is also an experienced expert
witness and is as passionate about high quality modern design as he is about our heritage and has
worked with many of the country's leading architects in devising exciting new schemes in historic
areas.

Jon came south from his native Yorkshire more than 25 years ago. He was a Senior Manager at
both Peterborough City Council and Cambridge City Council before becoming a founder-Director of
QuBE in 2004 and then Beacon in 2008. Jon has been a specialist heritage planner for more than 20
years and has a PhD in Architectural Conservation in addition to his other extensive qualifications in
building conservation and planning.

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Jenny Page Head of planning

BA (Hons) BTP Dip UD MRTPI

Very experienced planner and urban designer with extensive public and private sector experience.

Jenny joined Beacon in March 2009 as Head of Planning from Carter Jonas where she was a partner
in their Cambridge office and where she acquired essential knowledge and experience of the
commercial development world. Previously she spent 13 years at Cambridge City Council handling
applications and appeals in the Development Control team.

Jenny manages major planning applications and appeals, undertakes pre-application and S106
negotiations and community and other stakeholder consultation. She produces commercially
robust planning appraisals advising on the development potential of land and undertakes strategic
land promotion through the development plan process including preparation of representations
and proofs of evidence and appearance at Inquiry. Jenny also produces urban design appraisals,
development briefs and design and access statements to accompany planning applications.

Dedicated heritage planner with extensive public and private sector experience.

PROJECTS INCLUDE:

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Charmain Hawkins joined Beacon in June 2008 as an Associate. After graduating she worked in the
busy development control sections of the south coast cities of Portsmouth and Southampton. Whilst
at Southampton she developed her interest in conservation, working on some fascinating 19th
century port related structures. Following her move to East Anglia she worked as a Local Authority
Conservation before joining QuBE and then Beacon Planning in 2008.

Charmain has worked on a wide range of heritage projects from iconic 20th century buildings to a
variety of vernacular structures from mills to new tasting barns for vineyards! She has developed a
specialism for hotel and school related developments and barn conversion work.

Despite her heavy workload, Charmain finds time to be Events Co-Ordinator on the Suffolk Historic
Building Group, is a founder member of the Cambridgeshire Building Recording Group and a Regional Volunteer for the War Memorial Trust.

Jenni has been involved with, and led, a diverse range of heritage-related projects covering the full spectrum of heritage assets from domestic extensions to large mixed-use redevelopments many involving University and College buildings. She has prepared townscape and visual impact assessments for Environmental Statements.

Previously Jenni worked at Darlington Borough and Leicester City Councils on urban regeneration projects before joining Cambridge City Council's Conservation Team. There she developed her conservation skills working on a diverse range of projects including the redevelopment of two large shopping complexes in the historic city centre. Jenni then moved into the private sector in 2005 and is working towards gaining RTPI accreditation.

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Sophie Pain Senior planning consultant

BA (Hons) MPLAN MRTPI

Versatile planning consultant with experience in public and private sectors.

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Sophie joined Beacon in November 2015 following previous positions in local authority and private sector consultancy. She undertakes research, policy analysis and provides advice across a range of Beacon's planning projects. Sophie supports the Directors and Head of Planning on major projects across a range of residential, commercial and education sectors.

Her recent experience within local authority has provided a good understanding of local government processes and has provided her with a variety of projects, a significant amount of which were set within a historic environment.

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Janine Richardson SENIOR PLANNING CONSULTANT

BSc (Hons) MA Town Planning MRTPI

Experienced planner with extensive public sector experience.

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Janine joined Beacon in September 2016 following previous positions in local authority. She undertakes research, policy analysis and provides advice across a range of Beacon's planning projects. Janine supports the Directors and Head of Planning on major projects across a range of residential, commercial and education sectors. She has had particular experience in strategic growth planning, S106 negotiations, large scale residential, education, health and retail projects.

Her experience of over eighteen years at Cambridge City Council handling strategic growth sites and major planning applications has provided a comprehensive understanding of local government processes and large scale master planning projects.

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Emma Sharp Senior Consultant

MSc, BA(Hons), IHBC

Heritage consultant with urban design and conservation background.

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Emma returned to Beacon Planning in March 2016 as Consultant having previously interned at the company in 2013. In between, Emma has gained heritage and urban design experience in both London and Manchester working on a variety of projects. Emma has a BA (Hons) History of Art from Manchester University and an MSc Historic Conservation from Oxford Brookes University as well as a practical background in materials and museum conservation and surveying. She is a full member of the IHBC.

Emma supports the Directors and Head of Heritage by providing research, advice and heritage analysis across a range of projects. She has had specific experience with townscape and visual assessments, tall buildings and regeneration schemes.

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Ella Murfet Senior Consultant

BA (Hons) City and Regional Planning, MSc Historic Conservation MRTPI

Skilled consultant with a planning and building conservation background.

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Ella joined Beacon Planning as a Consultant in February 2015 after working for Fisher German. Ella supports the Directors and Head of Planning by providing research, advice and policy analysis across Beacon's planning projects. She has had particular experience in residential, agricultural, commercial and renewable energy projects.

Following an undergraduate degree in City and Regional Planning Ella gained a Master's degree in Historic Conservation from Oxford Brookes University. Ella gained full professional membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute in April 2016.

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DECLAN CARROLL SENIOR CONSULTANT

MSc BSc(Hons) IHBC

Skilled heritage professional with experience supported by strong planning knowledge and surveying skills

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Declan joined Beacon in September 2017, having gained four years’ planning and heritage experience in London. He has experience advising clients on a wide range of projects involving historic buildings and places of different periods and designation, including impacts on setting. Declan’s background is in surveying and conservation, having achieved a BSc (Hons) in Building Surveying followed by an MSc in Historic Conservation. He is a full member of the IHBC. Declan manages his own projects as well as supports colleagues across the planning and heritage teams with research, analysis and assessment work, to deliver high quality, constructive and cost-effective planning and heritage advice. Declan has considerable experience of development within conservation areas and has a particular knowledge of the London boroughs and the complexities of basement developments.<< Less

Rebecca Flood Planning Consultant

BSc (Hons) MA MRTPI

Planning Consultant with experience in private and public sectors.

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Rebecca joined Beacon in April 2016 having previously worked for five years as a planning consultant in the private sector and Cambridge City Council for ten years handling planning applications, appeals and land promotion work. She has gained experience in residential, commercial, educational and heritage sectors throughout this time.

She undertakes research, policy analysis and provides advice across a range of Beacon's planning projects as well as handling application and appeal work. Rebecca supports the Directors and Head of Planning on a range of projects including residential and commercial sectors.

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James A. Rennie Graduate Heritage Consultant

BArch (Hons)

Graduate Heritage Consultant with a background in architecture and architectural history.

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James joined the team at Beacon Planning earlier this year as intern as part of his Master’s degree in Building History at Cambridge University. Prior to this he studied architecture at Plymouth University and gained experience working as a Part 1 Architectural Assistant.
James’ role is to undertake research both on site and at archives and to support colleagues in the preparation of heritage statements and planning documents.<< Less

Mariya Myronova Graphic Designer

BA (Hons) Graphic Design

Mariya is a talented, fully qualified graphic designer who joined Beacon in October 2010 having
previously worked with QuBE Planning Ltd.

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Mariya provides the graphics for submissions, appeals, applications, public consultations, marketing
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Jan Wheeler OFFICE MANAGER

Experienced Administrator who joined Beacon in 2014

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An experienced administrator, Jan has a background in Local Government and latterly the private sector working for The Cardozo Kindersley Workshop and Magdalene College. Jan ensures the smooth running of the Beacon office and is also our ISO Quality Manager.<< Less

Kathryn Soltysiak Finance manager

Experienced and enthusiastic administrator

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Kathryn recently joined Beacon as an Office Administrator. An enthusiastic administrator with extensive experience in the public and private sector, most recently within a Heritage organisation. As part of the administrative support team, Kathryn has particular expertise in IT.<< Less